Convert 4-sat to 3-sat

Question

I want to know in general how can I convert $4-SAT$ to 3-SAT.

And I have a specific case that if you can help me optimize it to 3-SAT it will be greate.

I want to do this so I be able to use sat solvers programs.

$(C \lor A \lor D) \land (C \lor B \lor D) \land (\lnot C \lor A \lor \lnot D) \land (\lnot C \lor B \lor \lnot D) \land (C \lor \lnot A \lor \lnot B \lor \lnot D) \land (\lnot C \lor \lnot A \lor \lnot B \lor D)$

Answer 1

Every clause is of the form $(x_1 \vee x_2 \vee x_3 \vee x_4)$, where $x_i$, $i \in [4]$ is a literal. Replace every such clause with two clauses $(x_1 \vee x_2 \vee z) \wedge (\neg z \vee x_3 \vee x_4)$, where $z$ is a fresh variable. You can then verify that if some setting of $x_i$'s satisfies the original clause, you can find a setting of $z$ such that the two clauses are satisfied.

However, note that if you want to use a SAT solver, none of this is needed. A standard SAT solver can handle clauses of any length, and different clauses can be of different length.